Élan
by maritrevisans
Summary: Inna is a Nord mercenary who grew up in the frozen wastelands of northern Skyrim. How will her seemingly dull, eventless life be affected when she receives a note from a mysterious client? Translated from Portuguese. Originally posted as an interactive fanfiction on FFOBS. Based on Nightwish's Music Video "Élan".
1. Forsaken Lands

**A/N: Howdy! Welcome to my first ever Skyrim fanfiction! This is my translation of my own Skyrim fanfic, MV: Élan, which is an interactive story posted on FFOBS, a Portuguese language-only fanfiction website. This was written as part of a project to write fanfiction based on real music videos, hence this work is based on Nightwish's Élan (2015).** **Therefore, as I'm no official translator, please bear with me. I apologise for any mistakes and do tell me if you spot any of them. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Prologue. Forsaken Places.**

Wind and sky were the main elements of the white deserts that encompassed the Northern lands. In most of Skyrim, one could see only snow, forests, valleys and mountains. Therefore, it was no wonder that the province was known throughout Tamriel as the land of the Nords – big, hardy, cold-resisting people. Even though Skyrim had nine Holds, no other Holds were as desolate as The Pale and Winterhold.

Inna was well accustomed to abandoned places as she wandered and travelled through the North. After all, given that she had been born and raised in the North, she was surrounded by such desolate lands. Inna looked like every other Nord due to her height, physical strength and snow-white hair. She did not quite understand why her pointed ears caused strangeness - in order to avoid any inappropriate questioning in her rare trips to the cities, she would always wear a hood, thus leaving only a few locks of her white hair out of it. In a way, she was quite glad to live so far away from Skyrim's main cities; hence, her only companions would be the elements and the wildlife.

Inna dismounted a few yards away from Nightgate Inn. She proceeded to nod to the Snowy Sabre Cat in front of her, and it growled in reply. She avoided touching it, for she knew how reckless such beasts could be, and thus saw him return to the forest, passing through some thick trees. Inna's gaze lingered for a moment on the white owl perched on the roof of the inn, and wondered for a moment why those animals always seemed to follow her.

The tavern was perhaps the closest thing that Inna had to a home. The owner, Hadring - an old, kind, yet ignorant Nord - had allowed Inna to live there ever since he had found her at the age of eleven, malnourished and homeless, living with wild animals in the outskirts of Windhelm. Although Hadring was far from being a father to her, Inna was grateful to have a roof over her head. There were only two more residents in the tavern - a mysterious Orc called Balagog gro-Nolob who was always dressed in noble clothes and a melancholic Nord named Fultheim. Of the two, the Orc seemed more likeable to Inna. Fultheim was also not talkative, but he always commented that although Gro-Nolob liked to talk and meet people, he ought to remain hidden. In fact, he hardly never spoke to her; she did not understand why she was so mysterious, but she was not interested in knowing more about him either. It was enough for her that everyone got along without the need to be close.

Inna had just dropped her sack of supplies on the bed when she noticed a note on the small wooden table against the wall. She had to narrow her eyes to be able to read due to the lack of reading practice:

" _Amulet stolen, need it back._

 _I am from the Caravans, meet me near Dawnstar in two nights._

– _K"._

Inna crushed the note in her palm and went to the counter in the main part of the inn, where Hadring was serving cooked rabbit to a traveller.

"Hadring!" She spoke louder than she'd imagined, causing Fultheim and the traveller to look at her. She opened her hand, putting the crumpled note on the counter. "I found this note in my room. Do you know who delivered it? "

Hadring ran a hand through his white hair, as if it cost him to remember it. _As if he did anything else than just staying in this old place_ , Inna thought impatiently. "I believe that yesterday ... in the afternoon, a courier came asking for you and left it. Funny kid, 'wore a hat and blue robes - "

"Did he say anything about who sent the letter? My employer?" Hadring and Fultheim laughed without humour. "Oh no," he replied, "He said it was 'for your hands only' and that he could not say anything more. That lad think' he was too important... ". The two men continued to grumble as the traveller ate in silence. Inna ignored them and, after eating a quick meal of goat leg, began to prepare all sorts of supplies, tossing them into her shabby supply bag.

One of Skyrim's largest cities awaited her, and the long road through the frozen wasteland required all kinds of supplies.


	2. The Moon Amulet

Inna let the northern lights and her huntress' instincts guide her through the vastness of The Pale, and so found nothing but occasional wolves and bears. She did not understand very well why those abandoned places used to scare travellers. Inna knew of the return of the dragons, of course, but she saw no reason to be alarmed. After all, who in Skyrim had not heard of the Dragonborn, the only person who could defeat them? - if Dawnstar were attacked, it was certain that the she would be there to defend the city, as had already happened in Whiterun and Falkreath. In addition, the harsh weather, the lack of hospitality of the locals, and frequent patrolling of the guards helped keep Dawnstar safe from undesirable visitors, which seemed to compensate for the lack of a wall or gate.

It was already dusk of the second day of the trip when Inna dismounted from the huge elk. She kept walking for almost an hour before seeing tents close to Dawnstar's entrance. As she approached, she lifted the hood over her head, leaving only her face exposed. She knew that the members of the trading caravans were all Khajiit and that in Skyrim most of them worked as merchants - but even so, she could not predict their reaction to her appearance. If her own kinsmen were often shocked by her pointed ears, what of strangers who did not live with humans, since they were distrusted and not allowed into any of Skyrim's cities? Inna had already seen some Khajiit caravans on the roads, but this was the first time she approached one.

The caravan itself was small and was at the entrance to the city, so close that one could see some citizens walking close to the city's outskirts and even some buildings, like the inn. Moreover, anyone who entered or left Dawnstar would have to pass in front of the merchants, for they were camped well in the way of travellers. The caravan consisted of a camp with four tents - one containing only supplies and products while the other three had sleeping rolls - with a large bonfire in the centre. There were four Khajiit in the camp: one was using a tanning rack near one of the tents, two were sitting at the entrance of the main tent speaking in a low voice, and the last one was one was sitting by the fire watching them all. He raised his head as Inna drew closer.

One of the Khajiit in the tent stood and approached Inna. She was a little shorter than Inna, had dark brown fur, bright eyes, and wore fine clothes. "Hello, would you like to buy something? I have several kinds of products that can help you in your travels." As soon as the Khajiit began to speak, Inna noticed her unmistakable accent. She put her sack of supplies on the snow-covered ground and took the crumpled note from inside it. "I do not need to buy anything. I got this note from someone who claimed they were with the caravans." She showed the note to Khajiit. "They want to meet me near Dawnstar. Do you know who that might be? "

The Khajiit's expression changed into a small smile. "Oh yes, it's you! Kharjo, come here!" The Khajiit that was sitting away from the tents quickly got up and approached the two. Inna was alert to see that he wore steel armour and had a sword sheathed. As he approached, however, Inna saw that he seemed quite calm. His appearance was very different from the first Khajiit - his coat was much lighter, between grey and white, and his eyes were brown. The first Khajiit looked from Inna to her fellow Khajiit. "Kharjo, this is the human of Nightgate Inn you wanted to hire. May your road lead you to warm sands, human." Saying this, she returned to the tent where her companion awaited her. Inna turned her gaze to Kharjo, having to look up to talk to him, as he was taller than she was. He nodded as a form of greeting. "This Khajiit guards the others. I sent you that note because I need help with something important." Inna nodded back. "I'm Inna. I am a mercenary, yes, but I do not take all kinds of jobs, Kharjo. If you want to kill someone, contact the Dark Brotherhood - I will not steal any kill from them. If you want to plunder someone, you will have to talk to the Thieves Guild depending on what you need. What service do you seek?"

Kharjo seemed amused by Inna's words, but soon resumed his more serious expression. "Bandits harass the caravans at every step, but Khajiit usually scare them off." Inna folded her arms. "So you want me to kill some lowly bandit group that is around?" He shook his head. "I will not ask you to kill anyone. A few days ago, we were ambushed. A nuisance, really, but many of the marauders had quick fingers. One of them stole my Moon Amulet, given to me by my mother when I was just a cub. It is my only memory of home in this cold land. I sent that note to ask you to bring my amulet back. I will pay you well, of course." Inna did not quite understand why Kharjo needed to call her all the way there to retrieve a family heirloom when he could have hired a local sellsword, but she thought it best not to question him. "Okay, that's acceptable." Inna gave a small smile. "We believe the bandits are a part of a group headquartered in Duskglow Crevice, right here in this Hold."

"Group of bandits in Duskglow Crevice? I'm going there, too! I just got a bounty letter from the Jarl himself to kill their leader." A lively voice made them turn to a young Breton, who seemed to be passing by. She appeared to be very young and wore black magician robes. Like most Bretons, she was dark-skinned. She had short brown hair and a war paint that covered her eyes and part of the sides of her face. At the incredulous look that Inna and Kharjo had thrown at her, the girl handed them a bounty letter with the symbol of Dawnstar -

"By order of Skald:

To all able bodied men and women of The Pale. The bandits located in Duskglow Crevice have been harassing, robbing, and attacking citizens and visitors.

A reward will be offered to anyone who kills their leader.

\- Jarl Skald The Elder"

"Sorry, I could not help overhearing your conversation." She continued, "My name is Relie Fanis of Markarth. You are going to this cave, right?" She turned to Inna. "What if we travelled together? That way I'm sure we can help each other and come back faster." Inna, always accustomed to her own company, was quite shocked by that sudden approach. She had no idea how to react and it made her uncomfortable. "I work alone. If you don't slow me down, you can come with me." Relie Fanis gave her a shy smile, agreeing with Inna's terms. Kharjo stepped between them, opening a map of Skyrim. "The cave is south of Dawnstar, near this mountain range," he said as he pointed the distance between the two locations on the map. "Inna, we always stay for a few days in the cities we visit. We'll be here for a few days, waiting for you to come back with my amulet. You can have the map if you want." Relie Fanis thanked him and took the map, storing it in her own sack. Inna nodded, promising to return in a few days.

"So, how long do you think it's going to take for us to get there? I can't wait to get my reward... and it'll be great to help the people they've stolen from." Relie Fanis was trying to start a conversation for what seemed like the thousandth time, while Inna kept to herself and merely said what was necessary. To Inna, that silence was comfortable, and to Relie Fanis, it was sepulchral. "In less than a day, if the weather's still good," Inna replied quietly, increasing her pace. The beginning of the trip was quiet and uneventful. The roads were almost deserted of both people and wildlife, and the two adventurers seemed more and more isolated as the day turned into night.

"Where did you say you are from?" Relie Fanis lifted her head from her bowl of cabbage soup. This was the first time Inna had addressed her. They were camped in a clearing in the tundra of The Pale, seated in the midst of a blazing bonfire. "I'm from Markarth, the city of stone. Capital of The Reach. Also known as the most dangerous region of Skyrim." Inna arched her eyebrows. "Dangerous? But why?" Relie Fanis almost spat her food in the snow, utterly shocked. "Have you been living under a rock all this time? Are you sure you're native to Skyrim? Haven't you ever heard of the Forsworn?" Inna felt her cheeks flush as she saw the girl's reaction. "Did I said something wrong? I'm sorry".

The Breton gestured with one hand. "It's alright. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did." Relie Fanis opened the province map in the snow and pointed to the location of her Hold and Markarth. "The Forsworn are wild men and women who say The Reach belongs to them, and to prove their point they attack villages and mines, they also have their own hideouts in the mountains. They're Bretons, like me. It is mainly because of the Forsworn that our Hold is so dangerous; they are also interested in the riches of our silver mines." Inna had access to very few books since she lived in the inn, and the nature of her job made her unable to devote herself to them. "And you, Inna? You don't seem to be from any of the southern Holds." The girl's question pulled her out of her trance. What Relie Fanis had told her about her land aroused her curiosity, and now she wanted to know more about her travelling companion. "I'm from Winterhold, but I grew up alone in The Pale until an old Nord let me live with him in his inn. When I came of age, I started doing mercenary work."

Relie Fanis laughed without humour. "Winterhold, huh? It's my dream to be able to study magic there, but since I still do not have the aptitude... well, I know some basic spells, of course, but they are not enough for them to accept me as one of their students. See, Inna, I'm no sellsword..." She smiled sadly. "I left my parents' manor to venture out as I try to learn more about magic. Sometimes I take this kind of job to keep myself busy, that's all."

Since Inna had been born and practically raised in Winterhold, she knew a great deal about the College of Winterhold, Skyrim's only mages guild. Since its members were very reclusive because of the Nords' mistrust of magic users, Inna had never been able to enter the institution. Instead, she knew many stories about it. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you get what you want. I lived in Winterhold for a long time but I've never been able to get into the guild, they're very reclusive." However, magic had never really caught Inna's attention. She was more interested in physical combat, so she insisted on using her greatsword. Relie Fanis smiled. "What about you? What do you do besides taking this kind of job?" Inna got up, embarrassed, muttering that she needed to gather more firewood. "I ... I survive."

"Tell me more," Inna asked. It was already the middle of the morning of the next day and they were walking the few remaining miles to reach the cave. The night before, the Breton had told Inna that she had grown up in a house full of books, and so Inna had been asking about the different regions of Skyrim. She was fascinated by the amount of knowledge that that girl seemed to have, despite her youth.

"Well, I did some research and found that Duskglow Crevice is also inhabited by Falmer. They are creatures resembling elves, but they live underground. They hate sunlight and are completely blind." Inna nodded - at last, the girl mentioned something she knew. "Yes, travellers passing by the inn always tell us stories about them. They live in groups and do terrible things with invaders, they are very violent and have giant, poisonous insects known as Chaurus." As they apoke, they approached the cave, which was in front of an abandoned camp covered with snow. "It seems like a big colony lives there." Relie Fanis gestured toward the dark entrance.

"Get behind me when we find the Falmer, okay? They will be able to hear you easily because of your heavy footsteps and the noise of your weapon." In response, Inna drew her Daedric Greatsword from the sheath in her back with a loud, sharp sound. Inna did not like the idea of having to follow the younger girl when it was clear _she_ was much more experienced in combat. But she ended up agreeing. "I know, they can hear the slightest sound." She held the sword in combat position and followed Relie Fanis - who had her fingers over her closed lips - into the dark tunnel.

Duskglow Crevice was not as dark as it looked. The floor and the walls were covered with snow, and the beginning of the cave consisted of a series of tunnels and winding passages that led to a circular area with two bandits. The two women were able to dispose of them easily, with Inna defeating the first with three slashes of her sword and Relie Fanis defending herself of the second one with simple flame and sparks spells. Inna saw her companion put on a light hood that seemed to regenerate her magicka more quickly. The two women spent several hours wandering the confusing tunnels and open areas killing enemies as they attacked them - whether they were Falmer or Skeevers, for most of the bandits they met were just corpses -and collecting the few useful items they found along the way. Most consisted of potions, ingredients, and books, which Inna told the Breton to keep for herself.

Inna had just cleaned her blade of Chaurus blood while Relie Fanis fought three Falmer at once – already weakened by the explosive fire rune spells she had placed minutes before as traps – in an open area with a pond and three Falmer-styled tents. They had agreed that Relie Fanis would go ahead by defeating those repulsive creatures, for her sneaky abilities made her virtually invisible to them. Inna joined Relie Fanis near the lake and the two continued forward until the cave began to change, now resembling Nordic ruins. The two of them passed by a camp with two more dead bandits.

"If there are so many dead bandits here... why would the Jarl want their leader killed? I mean, just look at this" Relie Fanis gestured to a beheaded man; she was shocked by the disfigured state of some corpses. Inna, having lived so long near wild animals, was more accustomed to the often brutal manner by which they slaughtered their prey.

"Maybe he doesn't know about this Falmer colony or maybe he wants you to hunt down all of them," she shrugged. "The way they kill proves that they are nothing but wild animals, but animals don't as cruelly." She referred to the signs of torture they found in some bodies. Inna walked through the room and continued to follow more tunnels at a rapid pace, with Relie Fanis behind her. If she had not been walking so fast, looking back to check if the Breton was accompanying her, she might not have stepped on the wire in front of her.

The thread activated a huge claw that fell towards Inna and hit her squarely in the area below her neck. She fell back, howling in pain and banging her head on the cobblestone. All that noise was more than enough for an armoured Falmer to run towards to Inna, followed by the leader of the bandit group, who was trying to hit the creature with his axe. Relie Fanis was close enough – lost between two winding tunnels – to hear the voices and follow the sounds of the mercenary's screams, but she panicked upon hearing the thug say what he would do to Inna after the Falmer took care of her. Maybe a location spell would be enough?

Inna struggled, trying to get the Falmer off her wound. The impact had made her dizzy and affected her vision, but she could still make out a few features of the creature. She could hear a man muttering in the distance, but it was impossible to understand what he was saying. She reached out with her free hand, her despair mounting as she couldn't find her greatsword. "GET OFF ME!" She shouted louder. The Falmer lifted his head and sniffed the air as he stabbed his claws into the wound, tasting the blood. Inna felt an extra weight on her legs, immobilizing her from the waist down. She felt as if she could not breathe. In the next moment, her hood was torn so violently that it split in half, exposing the rest of her white hair and pointed ears. She heard the Falmer growl, and the meaning of it terrified her even more. She felt a blow to her abdomen.

Relie Fanis closed her eyes, channelling her Magicka and letting the Candlelight spell guide her. Forcing herself to ignore the sounds for a moment, she followed the warmth of the spell and then up a short slope, retracing Inna's footsteps until she found the bloody trap. At last, she opened her eyes, afraid of what he would see as she turned the corner from where the screams came.

Relie Fanis lost control as soon as she took in that scene. With a desperate cry, she cast a fireball spell, which exploded and instantly charred the human who immobilized her companion and the Chaurus Hunter that had just entered through a tunnel on the left. She turned to the Falmer as large ice spikes grew in her hands. One by one, she threw them at it, giving it no time to react. Surprised by the blows, the creature eventually got off Inna to charge for the Breton, swinging its bloody axe.

As soon as she felt herself free and the pain lessened, Inna stood up, a little dizzy, and grabbed her sword, which was only a few feet from the claw, and struck a heavy, violent blow at the Falmer, causing it to screech in pain before it was cut in half. The two halves of its corpse fell aside, bathed in blood and covered in ice spikes.

Inna would have fallen to her knees if Relie Fanis had not held onto her. Inna had a hand over her wound, watching her hand rapidly soak in blood as Relie Fanis dragged her with some difficulty due to her large size. The Breton was able to take her to the small camp with the two human corpses, kicking them away until she could put Inna laying on one of the filthy sleeping rolls. Inna remained silent in pain as Relie Fanis searched their supply sacks for any spell books. She would be able to better help her friend if she could learn more healing spells beyond the basic ones.

"Healing Other... No, I'm not strong enough..." she sighed, as he could not understand the instructions in the book. It was almost as if she were trying to decipher the dragon tongue or the Daedric alphabet. She did not yet have the required skills to learn the spell. She glanced at Inna, her situation worsening by the minute. "Healing Hands will have to be enough," she murmured to herself, placing both hands as gently as she could on Inna's wound, watching as a faint glow took over the blood and the wound slowly healed. Due to Relie Fanis' abilities, the girl's stamina was also being restored as she felt her own Magicka being drained.

"You'll be fine, Inna," she murmured, while her companion sighed as she felt most of her pain subside. Relie Fanis helped Inna sit down and had her take two potions that helped restore her energy and healed her remaining wounds. The Breton herself drank one of the smaller potions. "Are you half-elf?" She asked, unable to contain her curiosity. Inna was so accustomed to that sort of questioning that she no longer cared. "No, I'm a Nord. I've always had ears like this," she said, touching her pointy ears "and even my fellow Nords won't stop asking me that - you know, they aren't very fond of elves. That's why I started wearing my hood." Relie Fanis nodded and smirked. "I'm sure the Khajiit will have another one for you."

Inna had help to get up and together they walked through the remaining part of the cave, with all remaining enemies already dead. Inna found some kind of silver necklace on a shelf next to some books and as it was the only accessory they had found throughout the cave, she knew it must be Kharjo's Moon Amulet. She put it in her sack of supplies and then she and Relie Fanis exited Duskglow Crevice through yet another frozen tunnel.

 **A/N: Well, how did you like that? Pretty intense, huh? Thank you for your continued support ^^**


	3. Dawnstar's Nightmares

Inna was finishing cooking Slaughterfish scales when she remembered something about the cave. "Are you all right?" She asked Relie Fanis, who looked at her confusedly. "You lost energy by healing me, didn't you? Aren't you tired? " Relie Fanis shook her head. "I only used some of my Magicka, which the energy used to charge and cast spells. I'm fine physically. " They were camped the farthest they managed to find of Duskglow Crevice, but that was still far from Dawnstar. Inna smirked at her. "Anyway, we need to get back to Dawnstar soon. Kharjo is waiting for me and you have to get your reward from the Jarl." As she spoke, Inna went to some trees near the camp and returned a few minutes later with a huge elk by her side.

"How did you get him to come so close to you? We have to knock them down." Relie Fanis stood up surprised as she readied some flames in her palms. The elk tried to run away when it noticed the flames, but Inna stepped in front of it. "NO! Don't touch him!" She shouted, and turned to the elk, who seemed a little calmer with her presence. Inna walked to up to it and gently pressed her forehead to the elk's, staring deep into its eyes. She took a deep breath and the elk did the same. It stood beside Inna as she put a hand on his neck. "He'll help us get to Dawnstar in half the time than if we walked all the way there." Relie Fanis extinguished the flames and gathered their supplies, still incredulous. She climbed on the animal's back behind Inna and spoke as the elk turned around and began to walk into the woods. "Are you sure you're not half Wood Elf? They can command animals." Inna chuckled and grabbed the elk's neck to steady herself as it broke into a run. "I've never even _seen_ a Wood Elf, nor do I have any special powers. I had to learn to communicate with animals in order to survive."

In the hours it took to return to Dawnstar, Inna told the mage about her relationship with wild animals. "It is something that I developed naturally, it is not related to any otherwordly forces. After Winterhold's guards left me in the middle of this frozen wasteland, I had to survive on my own." Relie Fanis was fasicanted by Inna as much as Inna was for her, but for different reasons - she did not understand how someone who had been rejected so many times could still have hope and get to trust people. Nor did he understand how Inna had survived in that gods-forsaken land.

Relie Fanis held onto Inna's waist as the elk ran. "So did you always live in the tavern in Winterhold?" Inna nodded, grabbing the elk's neck for support. "Yes. In fact, even when my mother was alive, she was so absent that I do not even remember what she looked like. According to the owners of Frozen Hearth Inn, she was always travelling and doing all kinds of 'jobs' - that is, they said she was a member of the Thieves Guild."

Relie Fanis rolled her eyes at the mention of the notorious group. "Oh, yes, I've never seen a city as corrupt as Riften. Even the guards there are fucking uselles." Inna had never been to Riften, capital ofThe Rift, located in southwestern Skyrim, but rumours of its questionable denizens reached even the far northern lands. "Mother was never around, so it was Haran and Dagur who raised me. A few years later, their daughter was born and they could not care for me as much anymore. They are good people, though. I do not blame them for what happened to me." Inna sighed as various memories flooded her mind. "The people of Winterhold are very proud of their origins, full of themselves... and even though the city was destroyed thirty years ago, they still blame the mages of the College for that natural disaster. As most of its members are elves, I am sure you can imagine their reaction when they saw me around town. They had been bothering Haran and Dagur for years, saying that they should kick me out and that I did not belong in Winterhold. That winter in particular was harsher than the previous ones... I was ten years old when they informed me that I was to be taken to the Honorhall Orphanage in Riften." Relie Fanis squeezed Inna's waist with a little more force than necessary when the elk galloped again. "I'm really sorry, Inna. I can't imagine what it must have been like to go through that on your own."

Inna was touched by the girl's concern. "Thank you, Relie Fanis. In fact, two Winterhold guards were tasked with escorting me to Windhelm and then to Riften. They probably thought it was too much work, since I woke up in the middle of the wilderness on the morning of the second day. I managed to find shelter and I... I just had to survive. If it weren't for the beasts, I certainly would not be here. "

Inna was tired - not due to the trip, however; it seemed she hadn't talked so much on the same day in years. She remained silent for the rest of the trip and as she dismounted, she went out looking for the Khajiit, relief washing over her as she saw the tents in the outskirts of Dawnstar. She said goodbye to the Breton, watching the girl enter the city in a hurry. Kharjo left the tents and went straight to Inna when he saw what she was holding. "I found your amulet," she said with a smirk. He took the object in his hands. "There it is... Ah... Home..."

Kharjo beamed at Inna. "If you ever need the skills of a Khajiit warrior by your side, I would be honoured to travel with you. Until then, here. This is for you, in thanks." He took a bag of coins from his pack and placed it into Inna's hands. She was surprised by the weight of the bag, realising that there must be more money than she had ever received. "Five hundred Septims", the Khajiit was amused by Inna's surprise. "I... I have never earned so much money in one job," she said, almost stammering. "Well, this amulet is too important to me."

"I will spend that money wisely, then." Inna pointed to the tent with the goods behind the warrior, "starting by buying a new hood."

Ahkari, the owner of the caravan, left the tent as soon as she heard Inna utter those words and gave her a brown hood in exchange for 20 septims - a bargain, according to the merchant, for the hood was originally from the Thieves Guild and was enchanted, supposedly making prices a little lower. The mercenary covered her head, finally feeling like herself again.

He turned to Kharjo. "And secondly... I do need a good mug of mead and a warm bed." She began to move towards the city. "I would join you if Khajiit could enter the city" Kharjo spoke louder so she could hear him. "I will drink in your name, too!" Inna answered even louder, waving one of her arms as a goodbye.

Dawnstar was one of Skyrim's main cities, and thus it was not surprising that Windpeak Inn was full. However, instead of the relaxed atmosphere and the music of the bards that Inna hoped to find, what she saw was a little commotion around a man wearing a hooded cloak. Two women dressed in miner's clothes were arguing with him, while another Nord tried to intervene. Inna nodded to Relie Fanis when she saw her near the counter, watching the scene from afar.

A black-haired woman complained. "It's a curse! It has to be! I've got to get out of this town."A blond woman who also wore miner's clothes answered her. "Irgnir, get a hold of yourself. They're just dreams. Please tell her, Erandur." As did the two women and the Breton, Inna gazed at the man, whose robes showed nothing more than his face. He had gray skin, delicate features, and red eyes. He did not look very young, but he was not too old either - since elves could live up to three hundred years, Inna estimated he was less than a hundred years replied calmly, in a condescending tone. "Listen to your friend, Fruki. It's just dreams, my dear. I assure you that it is quite normal." It had the opposite effect, however, and Irgnir became even more nervous. "It's the same dream over and over again. You think that's normal? It's evil, I tell you!" Fruki looked from the elf to her friend in disbelief. "Erandur, she has a point. You keep telling us no harm will follow these dreams, but they must be an omen." The owner of the tavern interrupted her. "Give him a chance to speak. He's trying to help us."

The elf sighed and raised his hands. "Everyone, please. I'm doing what I can to end these nightmares. Meanwhile, all I ask is that you remain strong and put your trust in Lady Mara." The three Nords thanked him, looking relaxed for the time being. Upon hearing that, Relie Fanis got up and went straight to the Dark Elf. Inna followed her with her eyes.

"So you're a Priest of Mara? Goddess of love, compassion, marriage..." Inna finally approached, standing beside her companion. The mage nodded. "My name is Erandur. That I am, but I am here for another reason. As you can see, the entire town is being tormented by horrible nightmares. The people of Dawnstar are in grave danger, but I'm afraid there is little I can do about it." Inna and Relie Fanis exchanged a knowing look. "Maybe we can help you. I work as a mercenary." The two women introduced themselves, with Relie Fanis adding that she was a mage in training. "In that case, I fear that I can not offer you money. Lady Mara's blessings will have to be your payment."

"Tell us what's going on here and then we'll see about the payment." Relie Fanis dismissed that before Inna could respond. The mage gestured to one of the tables in the tavern. The three of them sat down and ordered a meal, implying that that conversation might take a long time. The two women were silent as the priest addressed the situation. "These dreams are manifestations created by the Daedric Lord Vaermina. She has an awful hunger for our memories. In return, she leaves behind nightmares, not unlike a cough marks a serious illness. I must end her terrible influence over these people before the damage becomes permanent. "

"Vaermina? I know there are several powerful Daedra, but I've never heard of her. "Inna inquired, feeling as lost as when Relie Fanis told her about her hometown. Erandur seemed to understand her lack of knowledge.

"Vaermina resides in a strange realm known as Quagmire... a nightmarish land where reality shifts upon itself in seemingly impossible ways. From her citadel at the center, she reaches forth to collect our memories, leaving nothing in return apart from visions of horror and despair." Relie Fanis also looked surprised, but not as much as Inna was. "She feeds on memories, and what does she do with them?" Erandur himself seemed confused. "Who can say? Perhaps she collects them for display like works of art in a nonsensical art gallery. Whatever the case may be, her intentions are far from benevolent."

"How do we solve this problem, then?" Inna questioned, wondering what fruits that seemingly complicated job could give her. "I need to return to the source of the problem, to Nightcaller Temple. Perhaps you'd be willing to assist me in that regard?" Inna and Relie Fanis looked at each other for a moment, already knowing the answer. "Yes. But why do you say 'return'?" The Breton, always attentive to detail, could not help but wonder. At that moment, Erandur lowered his voice. "I've already said too much. If anyone overhears what we're saying, it could start a panic. I would simply ask that you trust me and help me end Dawnstar's nightmares."

If those women's complaints had seemed exaggerated to Inna at first, she understood what they were talking about on that same night. As soon as she fell asleep, instead of the restful sleep that she expected, she found herself back in Duskglow Crevice. The horrible scene of the Falmer standing on top of her wound repeated itself over and over again, but now she could understand his grunts. It was as if he were recognising one of his fellow Falmer. Inna struggled even more fiercely as she felt her waist being immobilised. This time, however, she was able to see the face of the human who attacked her and understand his dark intentions by his sadistic look. Inna also felt the pain of the trap wound hitting her chest again. She wanted to scream, but it was as if she could not find her own voice.

Inna woke up startled for the third time that night and left the room, having given up resting. She was surprised to find Erandur and Relie Fanis seated at one of the tables in the tavern. The priest had a calm expression on his face, but Relie Fanis looked every bit as irritated and as weary as Inna felt.


	4. Nightcaller Temple

Nightcaller Temple was an hour's walk east of the city. Erandur took the lead and showed Inna and Relie Fanis the tower at the top of the hill as they made their way there. "People around here call it the Tower of the Dawn. I'm not familiar with the tower's history, but it was deserted for quite a long time before Nightcaller Temple was established inside." Relie Fanis seemed to be the only one who understood what the Elf was referring to. "When the temple was active, the priests would rarely be seen in Dawnstar. They preferred to live a solitary existence. The temple's been abandoned for decades now. It is like a ruin within a ruin. "

As they finished climbing the hill and walked down the stone steps leading to the exterior area of the temple, they saw two frost trolls roaring and hulking in front of the entrance. With quick movements, Inna ran up to one of them with her greatsword drawn whilst Relie Fanis and Erandur took care of the other troll using fire-based spells.

The Nord managed to attract two ice wolves to assist her in the fight, and so she was able to defeat the troll without much difficulty. The wolves stared deeply into her eyes before leaving - Inna was relieved that they decided not to attack her companions. "I can communicate with wild animals", she explained quickly. Erandur eyed her curiously, but did not question her further.

"Before we go in there, there is something you should know." Both women stopped walking and looked at him expectantly. "Years ago, this temple was raided by an orc war party seeking revenge. They were being plagued by nightmares just like the people of Dawnstar". "Were they successful, though?" Inna inquired out of pure curiosity, and Erandur shook his head. "No. Knowing they could never defeat the orcs, the priests of Vaermina released what they call 'The Miasma,' putting everyone to sleep. "

"So what does it do? I've never read anything about that in any of my books concerning the Daedra," Relie Fanis interrupted. The priest kept talking as they approached the temple's wooden door. "The Miasma was created by the priests of Vaermina for their rituals. It's a gas that places the affected in a deep sleep. Because the rituals would last for months or even years, the Miasma was designed to slow down the aging process."

Relie Fanis still had questions. "So why is it so dangerous?" The young women noticed the more Erandur spoke, the more concerned he seemed. As he spoke, all of them walked on ahead and opened the door. "I'm concerned that when this place is unsealed, the Miasma will dissipate and they'll awaken; both orcs and priests alike. The longer an individual is exposed to the Miasma, the more the mind can become damaged. Those who've been under the effect of it for extended periods of time have been known to lose their minds entirely. In some cases, a few never awoke at all."

The heavy wooden door closed behind them. They were in a large, circular room with the highest ceiling Inna had ever seen. There were a few benches in the center of the room and a small shrine of Mara in a corner of the room - obviously, Erandur's own personal touch - and books scattered on a makeshift altar in the center. Behind the altar, a carved wall blocked the way. Erandur asked Relie Fanis to accompany him (she looked as excited as though she he had been appointed Thane of The Pale) and the two cast various flame spells on the wall. After a few minutes, the wall changed from brown to light purple and became transparent. The two mages crossed the wall and Inna, still incredulous, followed closely behind them.

They continued down a dimly lit, wide hallway, filled with swirling purple gas. Erandur turned left and showed them a structure akin to a balcony with bars. A few floors below, they could see a statue and a staff surrounded by a shadowy aura, gleaming in the darkness. Inna felt her head ache as she looked down at the staff. "Behold the Skull of Corruption, the source of Dawnstar's woes. We must reach the inner sanctum and destroy it. "

He hurried off, and the two adventurers had to run to keep up with him as it would be too easy to get lost in that huge temple. Inna was the first to reach him. "Wait a minute, there's something I don't understand. If this staff is here, how can it affect Dawnstar?" The preist did not turn to her as he walked, and spoke louder so that everyone could hear him. "Lore holds that the Skull of Corruption has a constant hunger for the memories of others. The Skull has been out of touch for so long that I fear it has gained the ability to reach out on its own and try to feed. No one knows what it does with the memories it holds. "

After descending the first flight of stairs, they saw some armoured orcs stirring in their sleep, while others were already up. Inna, still high on adrenaline from the fight with the frost trolls, was able to finish them in a matter of minutes.

After the fight, Relie Fanis reached the door and was frustrated upon noticing that it was blocked by a magical barrier. "Could the priests have activated this barrier when the gas was released?" She asked aloud, and Erandur nodded and approached the door, taking a worn book from his leather bag. There was a figure of Vaermina on the cover and judging by its size, it did seem like an alchemy book.

The priest silently leafed through the book as he paced the narrow corridor.

"There's something very dark at work in this place, and I'm not just talking about orcs and priests," Inna blurted out, drawing everyone's attention. "You seem to know a lot about this place... indeed, it is almost as if you knew it from the inside." The Elf looked up from the book at the two young women with regret in his eyes. "You're right, Inna. There is no point in concealing it any longer. I once was a priest of Vaermina."

He began to justify himself almost immediately. "I'm not proud of what I did. Do you realise when the orcs attacked, I was only concerned with myself? I fled... and left my brothers and sisters behind to die." Relie Fanis cut him off. "I suppose there is no point in us getting upset with you. I think we knew something was wrong from the very beginning." Inna seemed to agree. "I've spent the last few decades living in regret and seeking redemption from Mara. And by Her Benevolence, I will right my wrongs. But I cannot do this without your help." Despite Erandur's lies, Inna and Relie Fanis decided to continue with the mission instead of leaving the Dark Elf behind.

"In order to get past this barrier, we will need a liquid called Vaermina's Torpor," he said, showing them a recipe from his alchemy book. Seeing the curious glances of the young women, he continued. "Yes. The Torpor grants an ability the priests of Vaermina called 'The Dreamstride', through which dreams are used to travel distances in the real world." Relie Fanis glanced at the text, but gave Erandur a confused look. "It sounds amazing, but... how can this be possible?" He placed a hand on the mage's shoulder. "I assure you, the Dreamstride is well known in Vaerminian Lore. I have yet to see it function in person." Having said this, he guided them through another part of the temple, up the stairs and past another wooden door, which gave access to an old library. As they walked, more and more orcs and followers of Vaermina attacked them.

Erandur was proving to be a skilled mage, since most enemies fell dead the minute his offensive spells hit them. He made a point of being on the front line and healing Relie Fanis and Inna at the end of each battle. The temple was larger than it looked, so a few hours passed until they arrived at the laboratory located in the east area of the temple. As soon as they entered the abandoned room, Relie Fanis found the Dreamstride in a small red bottle. Erandur uncorked the bottle carefully and stared at the two young women for a moment.

"Very well. I've taken us this far, but now one of you must guide us the rest of the way. I did not want to expose you to this risk, but as a sworn priest of Mara, the elixir won't work for me. The Torpor will only work for Priests of Vaermina, or the unaffiliated." There was a brief moment of hesitation in which Inna and Relie Fanis glanced at each other. For Inna, however, it was clear that she should drink the liquid. Certainly it wasn't a coincidence that she had been feeling some kind of discomfort, perhaps even a call from the moment she set foot into the temple. Inna took a step forward. Erandur did not seem to oppose her decision and Relie Fanis nodded in silence.

With the decision made, he held out the bottle to her. "As soon as you drink the potion, you'll be viewing the memory of another through your own eyes and with your own body. Those around you will perceive you as normal and you will find the words you utter may not be your own." Relie Fanis held one of her friend's hands briefly. "Don't worry, we'll watch over you to ensure your safety. If something goes wrong, we'll bring you back immediately." Erandur placed one of his hands on Inna's shoulders for comfort. "I swear upon Lady Mara that I will do everything within my power to prevent any harm from befalling you."

Inna felt no fear as she looked at the contents of the bottle and swallowed it in a few sips - instead, she had an odd feeling that her mission would soon be completed. It seemed she already knew that whatever she was going to see would change her life forever.


End file.
